Proud charro, Froylan Bautista, dies

Froylan R. Bautista came from Mexico in the late 1950s and worked hard for 40 years in meat packing plants on the south side.

But the native of Zacatecas, Mexico became best known for donning one of his distinctive, fitted charro outfits, topped by a sombrero, and marching or riding on horseback in parades celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Mexican Independence and the old City of Festivals parade.

With his son- in- law, Noel Fuentes, the two formed the Milwaukee Association of Charros in the late 90s made up of a group of friends who had worked in rodeos and ranches back in Mexico.

“He always represented the community, but his claim to fame was as a charro,” said Fuentes.
An accident that badly injured a leg made it hard for him to march or ride horse in recent years and he suffered from kidney and other health problems, said Fuentes. Bautista died Sunday in a local hospital. He was 74.

Fuentes said his late father and Bautista started working at meat packing companies at about the same time and worked together for many years. “Bautista was instrumental in getting a lot of Hispanics jobs at the meat packing plants there when they first came to town,” he said.

“He was very likable, easy going and a very proud man. We were all very proud of him”

Tall, strong and good looking, he fit the part of the charro well, said Fuentes. “He very much liked dressing up and had numerous outfits that he would buy in Mexico or Chicago,” he said because in those days you couldn’t find that kind of Mexican dress in Milwaukee. That’s changed, he added.

At times, the charros would ride in parades on horseback and often the horses would be rented from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s department, he said.

“Everybody knew my dad and remembered him from the parades that he would lead off,” said daughter Maria Fuentes.

“He instilled in us a strong sense of cultural values,” said Antonia, another daughter. “He taught us to be proud of who you. That’s a goal I have for my children.”

Bautista liked to fish, watch the Packers and regularly attended mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe, said Fuentes.

“He loved to cook and made the best guisado (stew) with nopales (cactus) in the world. The sauces he made were hot but sabrosos (tasty). His (late) wife, Inocencia, made the biggest tortillas you ever saw. The burritos they made would not fit on a normal plate."

“You never went hungry when you went to their house,” he said.

Survivors in addition to Maria and Antonia, include daughters Esmeralda and Bertha, sons Froylan Jr. and Victor, all of Milwaukee; 14 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

He’s also survived by brothers Pedro, Baudello, Salvador, and a sister Consuelo, all of Mexico.